Mastitis is caused by an infection of the udder of dairy cows, where the mammary gland becomes inflamed. Mastitis adversely affects the quantity and quality of milk produced in infected cows. The infection itself can also result in permanent injury or death of the animal. Though prevalent since the time of domestication, the advent of high volume, automatic milking systems has contributed to an increase of mastitis occurrences.
To control the numbers of mastitis causing microorganisms, and thereby reduce the chances of infection, disinfection regimens have been employed. One such regimen entails dipping or spraying the cow's teats with a chemical germicide before and after milking. These germicides, which are known as teat dips and teat sprays, are designed to kill those organisms known to cause mastitis. Though effective, they have been unable to prevent significant numbers of mastitis cases from developing on some farms using these products. This may be due in pan to improper hygiene practices and inadequately functioning milking equipment.
One reason that mastitis occurrences are still significant relates to the unique conditions the chemical germicides have to work under. While generally effective under ideal conditions, the efficacy of germicidal agents can be comprised by various extraneous factors. On dairy farms, teats, especially the ends where the teat orifice or canal is located, can be damaged or scarred from heavy use. In addition, teats tend to be wrinkled, especially after milking when they are no longer filled with milk. These conditions produce areas or crevices which can harbor microorganisms. Upon exposure to teat dipping or spraying, these areas can remain sequestered from the killing effects of the germicide. Further, teats can contain a heavy amount of residual milk or dirt on their surface before dipping. This increased "organic load" can further inhibit the germicidal efficacy of teat dips or sprays.
The present invention is intended to provide an apparatus and method that allows for better penetration by teat dips to those sequestered areas harboring bacteria.